Applications are now open for writers in Wales to submit essay proposals for Cymru and I, a book of 10 non-fiction essays written by members of Inclusive Journalism Cymru. 

Inclusive Journalism Cymru is an organisation that protects, supports, and represents people in Wales who’ve been marginalised or excluded by the journalism industry. This paid opportunity will see 10 of their members develop essays to be included in the book which will be published in 2023.

The application process is designed to be as open, inclusive and supportive as possible. There is no set theme or focus but the essays should aim to reflect something interesting and unique about the writers’s experiences of contemporary life in Wales. The invitation is deliberately open, because the editors want to hear new, unique and unexpected perspectives. Anyone who’s a member of Inclusive Journalism Cymru is welcome to apply, regardless of whether they’ve been published before. Becoming a member is free and only takes a few minutes. Visit their website to sign up. 

The book will include ten essays of around 7,000 words, but at this stage the editors are looking for 500 word proposals which set out your essay idea. This includes an example of what the first two paragraphs might look like, plus two more paragraphs explaining the theme(s) of the rest of the piece. Those first two paragraphs should give a sense of the style and approach of your writing in a way which shows originality and flair, whilst the explanation of the themes can be much more factual, setting out the ideas you want to explore and how you might do that.

In order to support writers with developing and submitting ideas, there will be an online Q&A at 7:30pm on Monday 6th February with the team from Inclusive Journalism Cymru and Seren. There you’ll be able to meet the editors, ask questions about the process or talk through an idea that you might already have.

Later in the process, there will also be a ‘Masterclass’ on longform writing with special guests Suyin Haynes – Head of Editorial at gal-dem – and Author and academic Professor Charlotte Williams. This will take place at 7.00pm on Wednesday 15th March.

If your idea is chosen for the book, you’ll be supported by a dedicated Editor from the Inclusive Journalism Cymru team who’ll work with you to make sure you have everything you need to help you produce your best possible work.

For full details of the project and information about how to apply, visit the Inclusive Journalism Cymru website. The information is also available in Welsh, although this is an English-language opportunity.

This project is supported by the Books Council of Wales.